Safeguarding students
Know who is where, and reach them fast
When students travel, the school is responsible for them. Safeguarding is the school’s: its policies, its chaperones, its consent. A travel program supports it with one thing that matters in every incident: an accurate picture of who is where, and a team that starts calling.
Incident · Severe weather near trip hotel (example)
Grade 11 history tour
The school’s side
What your school should have in place
Set by your school or district, under its own safeguarding policy. This is a starting list, not legal advice.
- A trip and safeguarding policy that covers student travel
- Chaperone or supervisor ratios set by your school or district
- Consent from parents or guardians, and emergency contacts
- Medical, allergy and accessibility information, held by the school
- A supervision plan for each part of the trip, including overnight
- A named trip leader and deputy, and someone at school who decides in an incident
- Insurance and assistance cover arranged by the school
Where travel fits
How a travel program helps
One accurate picture
Every student and chaperone on the trip’s bookings, so the roster in the itinerary is the roster on the ground.
Monitoring
Incident monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Incidents are matched to the travelers they affect.
Contact
When an incident is confirmed: first contact attempt within 30 minutes of an incident being confirmed, and tracking until everyone is accounted for.
Careful with data
Trip and billing records kept 7 years; traveler profiles deleted 90 days after a traveler leaves. Traveler data is used to arrange and support travel.
In an incident
The first hour, who does what
| Task | Your school | silentVIP |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate safety | Trip leader and chaperones; local emergency services | — |
| Finding who is affected | Confirms the roster on the ground | Matches the incident to itineraries |
| Contacting travelers | Trip leader | Makes contact attempts and tracks who is accounted for |
| Changing travel | Decides whether to leave, stay or come home | Rebooks flights, hotels and transfers |
| Families and communications | School leadership | — |
| Medical care, security, evacuation | School’s insurer or assistance provider | — |
Students and data
Student records and privacy
Share only what the travel team needs to book and support the trip: names as on ID, dates of birth where airlines require them, and the needs that affect travel. US schools have obligations for student education records; the US Department of Education’s Student Privacy site explains them. Decide with your own counsel what you share.
silentVIP’s own data handling: Trip and billing records kept 7 years; traveler profiles deleted 90 days after a traveler leaves. See the privacy page.
Minors and airlines
Students traveling alone
Airline rules for minors traveling without an adult differ by airline, age and route, and some services must be requested when booking. Check the airline’s rules before booking, and tell the travel team when a student will travel alone so the booking takes it into account.
Questions
Common questions
Does silentVIP vet chaperones or collect consent forms?
No. Chaperone selection and vetting, consent and supervision are the school’s, under its own policies.
Who do chaperones call at 3am?
For travel problems: +1 (212) 347 5600 (US) or +61 2 9100 0800 (Australia), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If anyone is in danger, local emergency services first.
What student information do you need?
What airlines, rail operators and hotels need to book: names as on ID, and dates of birth or documents where required. Share needs that affect travel; keep medical records with the school.
Do you provide evacuation or medical help?
No. Medical assistance, security and evacuation come from your school’s insurer or assistance provider. We change the travel.
More in Education
Give your school a travel program that holds up
Tell us about your school or university and how it travels. A person reads every enquiry and replies.